Men's emotions are confusing and sometimes contradict each other. Often, men do not even understand their own emotions. The Mayo Clinic notes that male depression often goes undiagnosed because it is difficult for men to explain what they are feeling or that they feel ashamed for not subscribing to the society "norm" of a tough, well-adjusted, providing male. Encourage your man to show his emotions by being supportive and understanding that a man's emotions are often much more complicated than he lets on.
Step 1
Realize that men often have a difficult time communicating their emotions. No man wants to tell his partner that he is sad or depressed. Instead of becoming angry that he does not want to share his emotions with you, simply let him know that you are ready when he is. Leave yourself open for that communications. Do not force the issue.
Step 2
Look for non-verbal cues to denote his emotions. Perhaps he will not tell you when he is stressed or nervous, but he always chews his nails when he is stressed about work. By watching for these cues, you can better understand how he is feeling by comparing the things he is experience with his physical reactions to the emotions he is feeling.
Step 3
Consider the social norms that a man is supposed to follow when it comes to emotions and sharing those emotions. Men are historically supposed to be the non-emotional providers to their partners. This does not reflect on your ability to communicate as a partner, but it will help you to understand why he is hesitant to show emotion around anyone.
Step 4
Expect emotions to be displayed as actions, rather than words. While a woman can fully articulate what she is feeling , a man is more likely to try and find a solution to the problem and work on it. In fact, when a woman constantly asks "What are you thinking?" to a man who has gone quiet, she usually assumes he's angry. He is most likely gone quiet as he thinks about how to remedy his concern.
Step 5
Give your man a platform to vent frustrations. You will see a great outpouring of emotion if you are able to disguise it as a session where he is able to vent out what he is feeling, manifested as frustration or anger. Men view frustration and anger as more masculine emotions. Even if he is feeling sad or depressed, you might find that you will see his emotion come through as a hotter emotion.
